Personally I believe that part of the problem we face in this country is the motivation of our elected representatives. We have, for as long as I have been voting (40+ years) , been seeking term limits with no success. No surprise, most want to preserve their career first and foremost.

I believe the best thing the Tea Party could do is help to achieve term limits through a "Endorsement Contract" with candidates for office. The contract would state that the prospective candidate would agree to serve no more than 2 consecutive terms. Incumbents would agree to one additional term beyond their current term(s).

If they cannot agree to this I would urge the Tea Party to withhold endorsement. Our representatives will need to make some of the toughest decisions in this countries history in the coming years, we cannot afford to have indebted representatives with only their next election on their minds. An effective representative will need to make decisions that will make some angry if we are to get back on track.